DOHA, Qatar--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qatar
University’s undergraduate and Masters programs in Environmental
Sciences have become the first outside of the UK to be recognised by the
world’s leading accreditation body for environmental science education
degree programs.

The Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences (CHES) and the
Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) accredited QU’s BSc and MSc
Environmental Sciences programs, which began in September 2008 and 2011
respectively, in a ceremony at Qatar’s national university earlier this
week.

The award is the culmination of 15 months of hard work for the
university’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, which
began the process in March 2011. Although CHES usually accredits only
honors and graduate programs, an exception was made for QU’s BSc
Environmental Science course because of its rigorous nature, which puts
it at the same level as an honors program in other universities.

QU’s Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Dr. Eiman Mustafawi, said:
“Offering our students internationally-recognized programs contributes
to the realization of our mission to become a model national university.
These two multi-disciplinary programs in Environmental Sciences
exemplify QU’s standards of excellence by emphasizing advanced
principles in this field in areas such as conservation, pollution
control, marine ecology, climate change, environmental biotechnology,
environmental law and economics and sustainable development.

“The programs also showcase the organization’s high-calibre staff,
world-class facilities and most importantly, its passionate students who
are determined to become the region’s scientists of tomorrow. By
graduating from accredited programs I am confident that our students
will be well-equipped for such roles in the future.”

CHES Chair and IES Trustee Prof. Philip Wheater said: “Since the
discipline of environmental science is relatively young, such
accreditation is an important milestone in gaining recognition of the
quality of standards of the education provision.

“Qatar University’s programs at both Bachelor and Master’s level are
well-resourced and taught by expert staff. Their successful
accreditation is a tribute to those who worked so hard in developing
them. I am sure that these degrees will continue to go from strength to
strength and I have been honored to play a small part in their history.”

Head of QU’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Prof.
Samir Jaoua said: “CHES accreditation will open up new collaboration in
research and student exchanges. All accredited universities will work
together under the umbrella of CHES to implement significant research
addressing important environmental issues.”

Former head of the department Dr. Hamda Al Naemi said: “When I started
planning for Environmental Science programs at QU, I placed high
standards and expectations for new multidisciplinary programs that are
one of a kind in Qatar and the region. I am glad we met these
expectations, positioning the department, College, and the university as
a whole as leaders of programs that are recognized at the
international level.”

The courses join a growing list of accredited programs at the college
that includes the Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry and Statistics.

About Qatar University:

Qatar
University is the first and only national university in Qatar.
Established in 1973, it serves over 12,000 students and offers more than
60 specializations. The organization is committed to providing
high-quality education to Qatari and international students in areas of
national priority. Its academic programs are aligned with established
international standards and best practices. This was achieved through
accreditation of many of its colleges, programs and courses by leading
international accrediting bodies such as ABET and AACSB. www.qu.edu.qa